The Hanna-Honeycomb House is
the best example of Frank Lloyd Wright's innovative and hexagonal
designPhotograph from the National Historic Landmarks collection

A National Historic Landmark, the Hanna-Honeycomb House was Frank
Lloyd Wright's (1867-1959) first work in the San Francisco region.
Begun in 1937 and expanded over 25 years, this is the first and
best example of Wright's innovative hexagonal design. Patterned
after the honeycomb of a bee, the house incorporates six-sided
figures with 120-degree angles in its plan, in its numerous tiled
terraces, and even in built-in furnishings. Wright, born in Richland
Center, Wisconsin, was an internationally known architect who
combined the reformist ideals of 19th-century America with aspects
of modernism. Wright created an organic architecture, and became
arguably the best-known architect of the United States. In American
National Bibliography Frederick Ivor-Campbell wrote "(the)
Honeycomb House showed how Wright's system of Polygonal modules
could provide the openness that he associated with freedom of
movement while gracefully integrating the house with its sloping
topography. The hexagonal modules of the floor plan gave the appearance
of a honeycomb; hence the name of the house."

The interior of the Hanna-Honeycomb
House reflects Wright's use
of spacial design influenced by nature, in this case, a
honeycombPhotograph from the National Historic Landmarks collection

The Hanna-Honeycomb house was designed for Paul R. Hanna and his
wife Jean, both well-known educators and for many years associated
with Stanford University and the Hoover Institute. The project was
begun while they were a young married couple and the house was expanded
and adapted over time, with Wright's assistance, as their professional
and personal needs changed. The house is one-story high with a central
clerestory (an outside wall of a room or building that rises above
an adjoining roof and contains windows) and is constructed of native
redwood board and batten, San Jose brick, cement and plate glass.
The house clings to and completes the hillside on which it was built
as the floor and courtyard levels conform to the slope of this one
and one-half acre site. The entire site includes the main house,
a guesthouse, hobby shop, storage building, double garage, carport,
breezeway, and garden house with pools and water cascade. After
living in the house for 38 years, the Hannas gave the property to
Stanford University in 1974. It was severely damaged by the Loma
Prieta earthquake in 1989, and a major 10-year restoration was recently
completed.

The Hanna-Honeycomb House is located on the Stanford University
Campus in Palo Alto.It is now owned by Stanford University,
and is a private residence, occassionally used for university
functions such as seminars and receptions. Guided tours are offered
by appointment only on the 1st Sunday and the 2nd and 4th Thursdays
of each month--there is a fee for admission. Call 650-725-8352
or visit Stanford's
website for further information.